Munetaka Murakami homers twice as playoff-bound White Sox top Rockies 6-1

CHICAGO (AP) — Munetaka Murakami homered twice to increase his season total to 35, and the playoff-bound Chicago White Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 6-1 on Friday night as they tried to gain ground in the AL Central.

Already assured at least a wild card, Chicago (83-77) has won five of six. The White Sox entered one game behind division-leading Cleveland (83-76), which played at Kansas City. Chicago has the tiebreaker.

Sean Burke (11-7) allowed one run and four hits in in 5 1/3 innings, and three relievers completed a four-hitter.

Chicago's Colson Montgomery set the season record for strikeouts with 224 when he was set down looking in the fifth inning by Tomoyuki Sugano. Montgomery topped Mark Reynolds’ 223 in 2009.

Colorado has lost 17 of 20 and dropped to a major league-worst 57-103, matching 2023 for the second-most losses in club history behind 119 last year The Rockies are the first team with four straight 100-loss seasons since the 1962-65 New York Mets.

Murakami has the third multi-homer game of his rookie season .Kyle Teel drove in two runs and Sam Antonacci lined three hits for the White Sox.

TJ Rumfield homered for the Rockies.

Sugano (12-12) lost his seventh straight decision, allowing four runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Colorado LHP José Quintana (2-3, 5.44 ERA) faces one of his former teams Saturday night. The White Sox start RHP Davis Martin (9-7, 3.84).

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Kyle Teel dives safely into third base during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami, of Japan, celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami, of Japan, celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami, of Japan, watches his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The high-spending New York Mets were assured their first last-place finish since 2003, losing to the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Friday night as Josiah Gray earned his first major league save in his first home appearance in more than two years.

Dylan Crews homered for the Nationals (76-84), who have won nine of 12 and are guaranteed fourth in the NL East. They have been fourth or fifth for seven straight seasons since winning the 2019 World Series.

New York (73-87), which began the season with a major league record $358.4 million payroll, will finish last for the first time since it was 66-95 in 2002.

Bo Bichette and Carson Benge homered for the Mets. Benge became the first Mets rookie with 20 homers and 20 steals in a season.

Gray worked around Juan Soto’s two-out walk in the ninth, getting Bichette to hit a soft grounder to the mound to cap his first outing at Nationals Park since April 4, 2024. An All-Star in 2023, Gray underwent Tommy John surgery the following year and did not return to the major leagues until last week.

Gus Varland (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Jonathan Pintaro (2-3) was the loser.

New York RHP Jonah Tong (2-2, 4.21 ERA) starts as the series continues Saturday in a game moved up to 12:35 p.m. because of rain forecast later in the day. LHP Connelly Early (7-5, 3.44), acquired from Boston for Curtis Mead on July 26, will come off the injured list to make his first start for the Nationals.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Washington Nationals' Brady House, left, comes in to score on a wild pitch by New York Mets pitcher Jonathan Pintaro, right, during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' Andres Chaparro, bottom, slides home to score on a wild pitch by New York Mets pitcher Jonathan Pintaro, top, during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

New York Mets' Juan Soto slides home to score on a sacrifice fly hit by Mark Vientos during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals pitcher Andrew Alvarez throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)